Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Upcoming Sustainable Action Network Announcements, 18 May 2011

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ¤ DAY 67 UPDATETokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) finally admitted that, in spite of having poured 11 million litres of water into Unit #1, forty percent of the fuel rods have been exposed to air and have melted. It is now considered likely that the molten pool of radioactive fuel has burned a hole through the bottom of the containment vessel, causing water to leak. Temperatures inside the reactor remain above the boiling point (as they do in Units #2 and #3 as well). More details at Core Meltdown at Fukushima Unit #1.

Meanwhile, responding to the crisis at Fukushima, the Chinese have decided to shelve plans for vast expansion of its nuclear energy, and have set a course to greatly increase production of renewable energy. New policies include reducing carbon intensity by 17 percent by 2015, with a high priority on nonfossil fuel energy sources.

China is emerging as a pacesetter in solar and wind technology, a fact that just might spur the U.S. to respond in kind. China currently produces half the world's solar panels, and reportedly installed three times as much wind-power capacity as the United States last year. China could dominate the rapidly growing and crucial world market for green technology, leaving a rust belt America wedded to dirty coal, oil and water-slurping shale gas extraction. Read more at - The New Sputnik - Chinese Renewable Energy.

has identified gaps in the government's data, however, and nuclear watchdogs are concerned that public officials are not telling Americans the whole story.

You can also read the latest reports at - Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Updates. If you agree that our climate solutions don't need nuclear energy, you might consider signing the following - A Simple Statement On Nuclear Power and Climate Change.
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"I start off with the premise that nuclear energy is not optimal and so I am not a nuclear energy proponent,"
President Barack Obama's support this week for the construction of more nuclear power plants in the United States ($57 billion worth of your taxes) amid the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, must be considered as among the most wrong-headed and irrational positions ever taken by a US president


KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO ¤ ECOLOGICAL SHOWS THIS WEEK
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/ (listen to this show when you wish, as it's now archived)

Wednesday, 18 May, 9:00am ¤ Alternative Radio
Brian Tokar of the Institute for Social Ecology will talk on "Climate Justice". Planet Earth, the ship we are all passengers on is gradually going down. Moving deck chairs around is no solution. Given the urgency of the situation and the level of threat to humankind the lack of an urgent response is astonishing. The climate crisis is a justice issue, not an esoteric debate among scientists.


AWAKENING THE DREAMER, CHANGING THE DREAM SYMPOSIUM
Saturday, 21 May 2011, 8:45am to 2:30pm - $$

Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St., Lawrence KS 66044

This highly acclaimed program has been presented worldwide for several years. It combines videos of inspiring speakers with thought-provoking exercises, all welcoming you into a state of commitment and optimism about our future. You'll see that you are part of a worldwide groundswell of Spirit-led, creative solutions to our global problems. To learn more view the video at Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream. Pre-register by contacting Nancy at (785)843-6887 or Ellyn at (785)842-1643.

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